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Parents, Stop Bringing Your Kids to Church
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If you are a parent and reading this, no doubt you are curious what I have to say. If you are a student reading this, you're probably considering not going to church anymore, or wondering what I would have to say about considering I work at one.
Breathe a sigh of relief. I'm not talking about quitting.
With both small and large churches, you run into two of the very same problems. In small churches, the staff and budget are small (most likely), meaning there isn't the ability to hire additional staff to speak specifically to each demographic. Most of the churches I went to growing up fell into this category. 40-60 people at most when I was young. The church I accepted Christ got up to 300.
With large churches, you have such dynamic services (most likely), that many parents don't find the value in sending their children to age-specific ministry environments. Worship is great. The pastor can PREACH, so what would a Children's ministry or Student ministry do for my student that the Sanctuary isn't?
One of the things that I am very fortunate in at Hope is that each of our ministry areas are awesome. I would put our pastoral staff and volunteers up against anyone (even though it's not a competition). Everyone is highly trained, highly qualified and highly in love with Jesus. Equation for success.
I see at Hope, what I have described above. In our Sanctuary, our worship and speaking are fantastic. Our services are second to none. And I can understand why a parent would be in those services and wonder what good a Children's Ministry or Student Ministry would offer that our Sanctuary doesn't.
Here's what I can tell you, though in the Sanctuary our worship time is dynamic and our preaching is solid, it's intent is not for teenagers. And I think intent is important. Hopefully every church you attend will preach the Scriptures, of which they are applicable to every demographic. However, the intent in a ministry to reach a demographic is key in application, illustration and understanding.
Our Sanctuary's intent is for adults. So most of the application, illustration and understanding will be placed on adult scenarios. Granted, some apply to teenagers. However, the intent of our Children's and Student Ministries are to apply to children and teenagers. Some of that will also apply to adults, but we drive the nail home to each demographic.
When a church gets large enough or has a large enough budget to do so, one of the greatest blessings to churches and families are ministries for specific demographics. It can always be taken too far and become way too individualistic to the ministry and not the church as a whole. However, when done right, it is the best way for a church and parents to partner together in discipling children and teenagers to be lifelong followers of Christ by tailoring messages and ministry environments to speak to where they are.
Parents, stop bringing your kids to church.
We have a place for them that will speak to where they are and where they are going.
If you are a parent and reading this, no doubt you are curious what I have to say. If you are a student reading this, you're probably considering not going to church anymore, or wondering what I would have to say about considering I work at one.
Breathe a sigh of relief. I'm not talking about quitting.
With both small and large churches, you run into two of the very same problems. In small churches, the staff and budget are small (most likely), meaning there isn't the ability to hire additional staff to speak specifically to each demographic. Most of the churches I went to growing up fell into this category. 40-60 people at most when I was young. The church I accepted Christ got up to 300.
With large churches, you have such dynamic services (most likely), that many parents don't find the value in sending their children to age-specific ministry environments. Worship is great. The pastor can PREACH, so what would a Children's ministry or Student ministry do for my student that the Sanctuary isn't?
One of the things that I am very fortunate in at Hope is that each of our ministry areas are awesome. I would put our pastoral staff and volunteers up against anyone (even though it's not a competition). Everyone is highly trained, highly qualified and highly in love with Jesus. Equation for success.
I see at Hope, what I have described above. In our Sanctuary, our worship and speaking are fantastic. Our services are second to none. And I can understand why a parent would be in those services and wonder what good a Children's Ministry or Student Ministry would offer that our Sanctuary doesn't.
Here's what I can tell you, though in the Sanctuary our worship time is dynamic and our preaching is solid, it's intent is not for teenagers. And I think intent is important. Hopefully every church you attend will preach the Scriptures, of which they are applicable to every demographic. However, the intent in a ministry to reach a demographic is key in application, illustration and understanding.
Our Sanctuary's intent is for adults. So most of the application, illustration and understanding will be placed on adult scenarios. Granted, some apply to teenagers. However, the intent of our Children's and Student Ministries are to apply to children and teenagers. Some of that will also apply to adults, but we drive the nail home to each demographic.
When a church gets large enough or has a large enough budget to do so, one of the greatest blessings to churches and families are ministries for specific demographics. It can always be taken too far and become way too individualistic to the ministry and not the church as a whole. However, when done right, it is the best way for a church and parents to partner together in discipling children and teenagers to be lifelong followers of Christ by tailoring messages and ministry environments to speak to where they are.
Parents, stop bringing your kids to church.
We have a place for them that will speak to where they are and where they are going.
